Rep. Piwowarczyk authors bill in Wisconsin Assembly to restrict local guaranteed income payments

The new bill authored by State Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to prohibit local governments from using public funds for guaranteed income payments to individuals, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “local guaranteed income programs”.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill prohibits local governments in Wisconsin, including cities, villages, towns, and counties, from using any of their funds to provide payments to individuals under a guaranteed income program. A guaranteed income program is defined as one in which individuals receive regular, unearned cash payments that can be used for any purpose. The bill specifies that programs requiring individuals to work or attend training do not fall under this definition. The restriction applies to all funds, including those obtained through taxes, fees, or state-shared revenue payments.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Robert Brooks (Republican-59th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District), along seven other co-sponsors.

Jim Piwowarczyk has co-authored or authored another 39 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Piwowarczyk, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 98th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Adam Neylon.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.